A Special Picture
by cutsycat
Summary: On Hiatus - A Picture is worth a Thousand Words.
1. A picture is worth a thousand words

**Challenge #: 106**  
**Author: Cutsycat**  
**Title: A Special Picture**  
**Rating: G**  
**Spoilers/Warnings: After EOT. I don't have any plans to continue this story at this time, but am open to suggestions for a plot for the continued story if you would like it to be continued. Please Review  
**

** Disclaimer: These character are Janet Evanovich's. I'm just playing with them.  
**

**A Special Picture**

It was just another day for me. I got up when my alarm clock went off. Then I got dressed and drove to the Rangemen offices.

Once I arrived at my desk, I went through my normal routine. I put my gun, cellphone, and keys into my desk drawer. Then I started on the searches that magically appeared in my inbox overnight.

I was about halfway through my inbox when lunchtime rolled around. I decided to just grab something in the break room, so that I could finish the searches faster.

I spent about 20 minutes making and eating a sandwich. After I cleaned up after myself, I walked back to my desk. When I got back to my desk, I found a white envelope, with Babe printed on it, taped to my computer.

Opening the envelope, I saw a picture and a piece of paper fall out. The picture landed face up and I noticed that the photographer did a good job and caught Ranger and me when we were looking at each other and smiling happily.

I then looked at the piece of paper and in Ranger's nice even sprawl were the words: A picture is worth a thousand words. Then farther down the page he had written, "P.S. look at the back of the picture."

I looked at the picture and found that Ranger had written, "Marry me."

So all in all it's been a normal day. I got up. I went to work. I got a marriage proposal. Excuse me, while I faint.


	2. Bobby's POV

A/N: Just a bit to try and get me back into the swing of things.

Bobby's POV

Today sucks. I'm stuck in the control room while the other guys get to go out and have all the fun. Oh wait, Steph just arrived. This ought to be fun. I still don't think she realizes that there is a camera in her office and I hope she never does cause there would be hell to pay when she finds out.

It appears that nothing exciting happened last night. She's just going through her normal routine. Let's see. Where's the Steph checklist again? There it is. Ok. She put her gun away. I can check that off. I can also check off that she came to work today. Oh look, she's starting searches. That's another check. Hey it's lunch time. She's just grabbing something from the break room. That's great. It means I don't have to put any men on her, yet.

While she's out of her cubicle I'm still supposed to watch it. We don't want any one to place a bomb on her desk or anything like that. Look at that Ranger's placing an envelope on her computer. I wonder what that's all about. It's probably nothing, just some crime scene photos he wants her to look at or something. Oh wait, she's coming back to her desk now. She's opening the envelope. Wow! What is in that envelope? Whatever it is completely surprised her. Damn she's fainted. Guess I have to call the boys in. "Tank, Lester. You're needed at Bombshell's cubicle she's fainted."

Hoping that she's alright, I rush over to her. Checking her pulse and vital signs I see that she hasn't suffered any injuries. While I was checking her vital signs Tank and Lester arrived. "What's the matter with her, Bobby? Why did she faint?"

"I don't know, but she seems fine physically. Do you want me to wake her up?" Bobby asks.

"Yes. We need to find out what happened." Tank responds.

"I think it has something to do with whatever Ranger left her, but let's see what she has to say." Bobby gently slaps Steph saying, "Come on, Bombshell. It's time to wake up."

Steph slowly starts to come around. "What are you guys doing here? What happened?"

"That's what we'd like to know. Do you remember why you fainted?"

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"It can't be."

"Bombshell, what happened?"

"Ranger asked me to marry him."


	3. Ranger's help?

_**I know this is really short, and I'm writing the next part, but I wanted to get this up because I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to finish the next part. I have a lot of stuff going on in RL right now.**_

"You're kidding, right?" Bobby asks.

"He must have just meant for a job or something, right? He didn't really mean it, did he?"

"Of course, I meant it, Babe. Have I ever lied to you?" Ranger says from behind Steph.

"Damn it, Ranger, I told you not to sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry, Babe."

"No, you're not and as punishment I'm leaving." Steph says as she stomps to the elevator.

"Babe. You know the rules. Partner. Me?"

"No. I'll take a partner, but I want Tank." Steph says as the elevator door opens and she quickly steps in, pressing the button for the parking garage level.

As the doors close, she sees Ranger with his blank face that just doesn't seem as blank for some reason and Tank hurrying for the stairs. When the elevator doors open on the parking garage, Steph sees that Tank is waiting for her in the driver seat of his truck. Sighing, she walks over and climbs in on the passenger side. "I do know how to drive, you know."

"Yes, but I've seen what you do to cars. I don't want to see my truck destroyed similarly."

"I can't help it. It's never my fault."

"So where are we going?"

"We need to go to Mary Lou's and when we get there you need to stay outside. This is personal business."


	4. Mary Lou's house

Walking up to the door and ringing the doorbell, Steph hears from inside Mary Lou's house, "Stop. Put that down. Now!"

After what sounds like a little bit of scuffling, there's a chorus of running little feet for the door and the door is finally wrenched open.

"Steph." Mary Lou screeches as she jumps and hugs me. "What are you doing here?" She pauses to look at me. "What's wrong?"

"Can we do this inside, please?"

"That bad. Huh? Sure."

Once inside with the door closed, "Ok. Here goes. Rangersortaaskedmetomarryhim." Steph says, getting it all out in a rush.

"That's great." Steph slowly shakes her head. "It's not great? Why not?"

"I don't know. He didn't give me any warning whatsoever. There were no hints at all that he might be thinking about marriage and now he's proposed and I don't know if he means it or not. He says he does, but how do I know that he won't turn out to be like Dickie and get bored after a couple of months?"

Without so much as a by your leave, Ranger walks through Mary Lou's door. "I could never be bored with you, Steph."

"How can you be sure?"

Recognizing a conversation that she shouldn't be a part of, Mary Lou withdraws closing the door in front of her and stepping close to listen carefully. "I've never felt this way about anyone else, Babe. I've been married before, too. I know what it feels like to be in a relationship that's not right for you and This isn't it. What do I need to do to help you conquer your fears, Steph? I'm always going to be there for you like I've always been in the past. You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

"Wow. You mean you can speak more than one word at a time?"

"Of course, but I only do it when it's something important. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time."

"Wow. You mean this is that important to you?"

"Yes, Babe. You're the most important thing in the world to me and I'll do whatever I have to to convince you of that, so will you have dinner with me tonight to celebrate our engagement and go over whatever details we feel the need to?"

"Ummm... Sure, but I haven't said yes, yet."

"You aren't actually planning on saying no. Are you?"

"I don't think so, but I haven't had a chance to really think about it, yet. How about we just go out tonight and discuss the details? Maybe, I'll even be able to give you an answer tonight."

"Ok. Steph, but one thing before I go. No matter what happens, I love you and I always will."

"Oh, Ranger. That's so sweet. I love you, too."

"Sweet, Babe? Tank's outside. If he hears that I'll never hear the end of it. I'm not sweet. Loving maybe, but not sweet, ok?"

"Whatever you say Ranger, but I still think it's sweet."

Ranger groans. "Babe, whatever am I going to do with you?"

"I don't know. That's probably one of the things we should discuss tonight. Now go. I need to discuss some things with Mary Lou before tonight."

"Ok. Babe. I'll go if you want me to, but I bet we could have a lot more fun if I stayed here." Ranger looks at Steph with his eyes gone the color of molten chocolate and his eyes bore into her as if there's nothing he'd rather do than stay there all day and worship her.

"Undoubtedly, but then I wouldn't be able to think and I really need to think. Please just go, Ranger."

"Ok, but we'll definitely continue this conversation, later, Babe."

Steph stares at the back of the door that Ranger went through completely oblivious to everything including the entrance of Mary Lou into the room again. "Steph. Steph. Come on, Steph. Snap out of it. You have plenty of time to think about that later. Right now. We need to get ready to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Duh. Shopping. Remember you have dinner with Ranger tonight. You have to look you're best. That means we need to go to the Mall and probably we should bring Lula and Connie with us. They'll want a part in helping you look your best for when you tell Ranger that you'll marry him. You are going to marry him, right? You don't have any more doubts, do you?"

"No, no doubts." Steph says with a beatific smile. "Why don't you call Lula and Connie and tell them to meet us at the mall. I need to go talk with my partner outside for a minute before we leave, ok?"

"Sure. I'll call them and then meet you at the van."


End file.
